


How Long?

by Blood and Weetabix (melchiorstiefel)



Series: Coming Out [1]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Coming Out, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-25
Updated: 2014-03-25
Packaged: 2018-01-16 20:48:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1361302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melchiorstiefel/pseuds/Blood%20and%20Weetabix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a MilkBalls friendship thing to get me through what happened in 4x10.</p><p>This takes place during 4x08 sometime, I guess.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How Long?

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in place, and is pretty much entirely unedited... I think it's pretty crap, but I can't be arsed to sort it out, so here you go...
> 
> [Okay, I might still make a couple of edits, but not many]

"For fuck's sake." Mickey nearly drives his fist into the wall as he takes in the mess the room has been left in.

"Don't these whores ever clean up after themselves?" he mutters, taking the trashcan over to the pile of used condoms in Renata's station.

"Just get them to do it when they get here in the morning." Kev's voice carries from the doorway, taking Mickey by surprise. "It's part of their job."

"Yeah." Mickey shrugs, but doesn't stop tidying up. He straightens the boxes of condoms on the table, and takes a quick mental count as he does so.

It stays like that for a few minutes - Mickey making himself busy, slowly sorting the room out, while Kev watches from the doorway - until he speaks again.

"I'm not stupid."

"Yeah, never said you were." Mickey sniffs, scratches his nose on the collar of his sweater.

But Kev presses on. "I might not be good with math and shit, and I can't write or read very well, but I'm not stupid."

Mickey doesn't respond.

"How long?"

And Mickey knows what Kev is asking. He can feel it just beneath his skin - that slow prickle inside that makes him want to leave his own body. But he looks to the doorway, and can tell that Kev planned this, as he stands right in the centre of the frame, leaving no room to exit.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" And that's Mickey's defence mechanism kicking in before he can stop himself. He'd probably cringe internally if he weren't freaking the fuck out right now.

"I'm not stupid." Kev repeats. "And I know you're not either."

Mickey deflates, but the burning inside doesn't dissipate. He knows he should respond, but the words just don't come out. He sinks down against a cabinet, and chances a glance at Kev's face, which he immediately regrets. His expression is soft, caring, almost fond.

"How did you find out?" Mickey asks, deflecting the original question.

And now it's Kev's turn to be surprised. He expected a fight or at the very least Mickey's profuse denial. He thought he knew what he was getting into, confronting Mickey like this.

He shrugs slightly. "When you work in a bar, you hear things. You hear  _a lot_  of things." He steps hesitantly towards Mickey, sliding down to sit next to him.

"Two years" Mickey says quietly, as though he doesn't want to admit it to himself. And he supposes that he doesn't...

"Fucking hell!" Kev exclaims, tipping his head back against the cabinet. But it's fond rather than judging.

Mickey smirks a little at that.

"You know, I only found out that he's gay when Jimmy left." Kev laughs slightly. "I don't know if Veronica had just forgotten to tell me, or she'd never intended to, but she mentioned in passing how Ian fucked Jimmy's dad."

Kev knew it was wrong, but he wanted to see how Mickey would react to that.

Mickey's hands formed fists involuntarily, and Mickey fought to unclench them.

"Ned's a fucking twat." He said lamely, trying not to let jealousy tinge his words.

They fall into a comfortable silence after that. Or at least as comfortable as it can be for Mickey when his heart is still racing at 100 beats per minute.

"Go home, Mick." Kev claps his hand on Mickey's leg as he stands, making his way towards the door.

"Hey, Kev?" Mickey's voice stops him just as he reaches the door.

"I'm..." he swallows down the bile eating away at his insides, knowing that he has to say this. He has to say it to someone at least.

"I'm gay." It comes out more choked than he intended, and the conviction and strength disappears somewhere between his brain and his mouth.

Kev gives a sharp nod and a quick smile as he turns to go down the stairs.

"If you tell anyone I'll slit your fucking throat!" Mickey shouts after him, and as an afterthought adds "Especially Veronica!"


End file.
